[10.0] "This match is the reason why I love wrestling. Before I saw this match I never thought about wrestling as anything more than trying to put a bunch of flips together and make it look good. I never knew about the technical submission side of wrestling except the often, but almost never successful sleeper holds of the WWE. I never knew that a guys could could be constant work and submissions and it was awesome. ZSJ is currently my favorite wrestler in the world and Bryan Danielson was up there before he retired. These two put on a master class that doesn't need constant action or mindlessly hitting each other to enjoy. The targeting of limbs worked quite well as these two are known for their submission and other worldly skill on the mat. In every sense this is why wrestling and the art of it is so masterful. Guys like these who go out of the social norms of modern wrestling to put on a pure match that sadly isn't seen much these days. *****(1/4) - Stars"
[0.0] "If you watch the first half of the match, you could characterize it as a match without any moves. The match more closely resembled comedy parody in a bad sense of the word. In the sense that the match consisted of lying around and targeting limbs, which I strongly dislike in wrestling. I also really dislike Zack Sabre and his wrestling; he's even worse than Gunther or Will Ospreay (as wrestler). Overall, Sabre has been the same as he was in 2016, and he cannot show more than lying and flopping around in the ring. And the finger-bending in the match is disgusting and pointless. I really dislike that, and that's not why I watch wrestling."
[8.0] "A brilliant technical showcase between two of the best technicians of the modern era. This takes place not too long after Bryan's return from breaking his arm against Okada so Zack obviously tries to target that as much as possible here. Bryan is able to avoid it during the early goings and starts going after Zack's leg, but Zack is eventually able to bait him into using his arm during a striking exchange where Bryan uses his non dominant arm to throw uppercuts to ill effect. This sets up the story for the rest of the match with Zack zoning in on Bryan's arm while Bryan tries to counter him and resume focus on his leg. This goes on for a while with Bryan mostly getting the upper hand but Zack is able to catch him with a few brutal looking submissions on a few occasions which Bryan has to use the ropes to get out of. Zack looks to be getting the best of Bryan towards the end, but Bryan is able to buy himself some space with the Busaiku knee, followed by another one to earn him the win. This was awesome. The fluidity of the work done here is impressive but Zack and Bryan are also able to implement an element of struggle into everything they do as well and are also able to tell a very compelling story in the process. Wish the crowd were a little more into this but i think the match still mostly manages to speak for itself. ****1/4"
[10.0] "Probably one of the best matches I've ever seen. The match is just about as much of a technical masterclass as one would expect from seeing Danielson vs. ZSJ on the card. Perhaps I am a bit biased since I've always been a sucker for technical wrestling, but that's neither here nor there. It also helps that I was super invested in this match, a key factor in whether it gets a perfect score from me. I still wince thinking about Danielson's Dragon Screw on Sabre Jr. where it looks like he nearly snaps his ankle. It also helped that we had an interesting dynamic on commentary between Nigel McGuinness and Moxley, since McGuinness has been a long-time rival of Danielson's and Moxley was Danielson's stablemate at the time in the Blackpool Combat Club. I could probably go on, but I'll leave it there to prevent myself from rambling. Genuinely great work from both men. [10/10]"
[8.0] "If you're a hardcore fan of technical/catch-style wrestling I would understand how this could be a 10. The limb work and psychology is extensively thought out, and the two's chemistry allows for transitions and chain grappling to feel incredibly realistic. I, however, am not one of those hardcore fans, and while I found it very impressive is certainly a great match, I don't see it as an all-timer. ****"
[8.0] "a bit of a screaming indictment on how far we've fallen that a wrestling match having mostly wrestling in it is treated as a rare treat special attraction. i'm pleased it got so over, proof that a solid foundation of fundamentals and diamond-solid fundamentals performed entirely between the ropes is still viable in this day and age. is it the best work of either wrestler? probably not, but on a sleep day these guys soar."
[10.0] "This was super fun to watch. I enjoy technical wrestling, but I'm not anything close to an expert on the terms or concepts so I'll keep it short. The holds, grapples and counters were all incredible to see and the way they were executed was just masterful. I've never seen anyone better than these two at getting a crowd pumped to watch a technical match like this. That's probably the best compliment I can give them. Hell of a match!"
[9.0] "A couple of spots where the match slows, but a very sports-like exhibition where both men showcase their technical mastery in enough ways to live up to the hype of this match's expectations. The last few minutes or so were electric. [****.5]"
[9.0] "[4.5*] This match was literally the perfection of wrestling in form of art. Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr. achieved complete excellence. In terms of technique, this is by far the best match of AEWs history. This will go down as one of the classics. I just hope some indy morons never try to replicate this. 10/10. AEW MOTYC. This was a little bit worse than their NJPW match if you count everything as this was more of a showcase match, but as a showcase, it had 0 flaws."
[10.0] "What a beautiful match, slightly different to their NJPW match which would follow and take my MOTY spot, but really incredible in its own way. ZSJ is my favourite worker going right now, and Danielson has a strong claim on the GOAT role in wrestling, so this was never going to be anything short of great, but it blew those expectations out the water. The technical spots are so innovative but also tied to the history of catch-wrestling which makes this match something truly special. Danielson gets the win with a Busaiku Knee onto ZSJ, but was crucially not able to get the win via submission. A perfect match really which I cannot flaw."
[9.0] "I'm not the a very huge fan of technical wrestling matches, but this is probably the best one I've seen. The two best technical wrestlers in the world going at it and it lived up to the hype. Countless number of counters and holds and I was surpringly on the edge of my seat. I'll have to check out their New Japan match next."
[10.0] "Fantastic match, just fantastic. This was basically a modern-day dream match, and we were able to watch this for free (thanks to AEW uploading it to Youtube). It was great, from beginning to end, from bell to bell, it was a technical masterclass from both ZSJ and Danielson. The wide variety of submissions that both of them delivered were really cool and made the match just as good as it truly was. I'm glad people on here can truly acknowledge that this match was amazing, and perhaps this made people more interested in AEW and technical wrestling as a whole. ZSJ is the PERFECT heel, and perhaps there is bias from me considering that we're both British, but he really is amazing, trash talk and a lot more. An AMAZING match that kept my interest all the way through."
[9.0] "An excellent match that delivered exactly what we expected. It was very technical on both sides, with ZSJ trash-talking while Danielson delivered submissions. The pinfall attempts were executed in a variety of ways. It was truly a beautiful sight to see. (4*1/2)"
[8.0] "So five fucking guys on commentary sure is frustrating to listen to, especially hearing guys like excalibur and Jon Moxley step on JR. As you might expect, this has a lot of great mat and technical wrestling, and most of it is pretty compelling. They also hit each other pretty hard, though there is one particularly egregious trading blows spot where it's "hey please hit me" which I hate. Lots of creative reversals and counters. Danielson has still got it after all these years. Jon Moxley on commentary really takes this down a peg though. A definite classic, but lacking anything truly special. Their later match at NJPW New Beginning I think is superior to it."
[9.0] "(9.25) Excellent match, nothing that you would not expect from these two. Technical wrestling at its highest level, especially when it feels like a competitive spar like it does right here, it constantly engaging. I loved the whole match, and Bryan embracing his hometown and knee strike at the end to win is a lovely touch."
[9.0] "I am so happy that AEW put this full match on youtube because I have wanted to see it for ages and it does not disappoint at all, my favourite style of wrestling by two masters of the craft. Incredibly tense from start to finish with plenty of great in ring psychology and a finish that sets up a rematch perfectly. Can't wait to see that one!"
[9.0] "What a match. Bryan is just the best, Sabre is an amazing technical heel (with very flashy holds). They start with respect, going hold for hold in the mat. But then Danielson gets after Sabre's skin. He keeps score of who is winning, like in an actual wrestling match. Then Sabre goes for the win. Being the best technical wrestler does not really matter anymore, he just wants the win. Zack tricks Bryan into a striking exchange. It's great how you can clearly see Danielson holding his own with his left arm, but when Sabre gets him to use his right arm the match goes to another level. That recently repaired arm. Sabre is a cheeky bastard. He knew he was not going to win the striking battle with Bryan, but he used it to gain control. From then on, the technicality is still there, but the sportsmanship turns into meanness and spite. Of course, the American Dragon comes back with just as much intensity. He turns the match into a dual limb work bout. They both crank those holds for all they are worth. It kind of nullifies the ability of both men to make the other submit, with Sabre's leg hurting just as much as Dragon's arm. So then, what's left to do? Striking. Bryan may not have his arm, but he sure as hell has the kicks to stomp Zack's head to the ground and finish him off with the Busaiku knee. Great job from both men selling, even when on offense. As an aside, Mox on commentary was very insightful, and McGuinness was as funny as can be."
[8.0] "**** / Lovely match, nothing to complain about at all and everything to just sit back and enjoy. Two of the greatest technical wrestlers doing just that. That dragon screw lives in my head forever."
[10.0] "Hands down to the pure and honest definion of perfection. Due to Vince's legacy at the US, it's kinda hard to execute a technical wrestling match without people getting bored or not even going into the hype of the match, no matter in what industry or building they're fighting, but this right here was perfectly executed and made for the right crowd. Kinda hard to execute a technical match better than this in the United Stades, and it's funny to think that this was executed for Zack Sabre Jr, a guy who HATES the United Stades. Story was quite simple, Zack was the best technical wrestler during the 10' and Bryan was the best technical wrestler during the 00'. Both regarded as one of the best technical wrestlers of all time, they faced each other to know who is the better one. This right here was the peak of Zack Sabre Jr in ring, he never executed his moves so perfectly, in the exact time necessary for, sold like his leg was fucking broke at some moments, specially in the Dragon Leg Sweep. I still think that the second match between them is better but Zack Sabre Jr exhibition here was so good that I think I'm gonna need to rewatch it to be 100% sure about what I'm thinking. Bryan sold his arm perfectly, even in some moments which was necessary him to use his arm, he sold like something is still wrong at it and that made the match even more enjoyable. So many good moments, so many funny moments, so many impressive moments, even Jon Moxley was impressed and emotional watching that spetacular live and commenting. Impossible to don't quality this as a FUCKING five stars match and also show to Zack Sabre Jr that he might be wrong. Sometimes, dogs can understand Shakespiere. Keep reading for us."
[7.0] "It felt like a match put-together for an American-Western audience, granted of-whom it was performed to, filled with cute references to Danielson's ROH past to the match's story of they're so proud of their skills they can't imagine the other getting the better of a hold each he himself could, in their own minds, execute better. Of course the action itself is superlative, but there was a raw, youthful energy missing from their attitudes and I didn't feel all was left in-the-ring for the rating to be this high. Give me strap-match Dragon instead of this elder statesman Danielson. But it's his hometown, I get it, but only could like it so-much. 3 3/8"
[10.0] "An incredible match. Brilliant technical wrestling (obviously) and Brian's selling of his recently broken arm added a compelling and dramatic through line. The way ZSJ took that Dragon Screw was absolutely unbelievable. It ended up straying from the technical style toward the end, to leave something on the table for the inevitable rematch, which diminishes the last third of this match a little. And Moxley's windbag commentary distracted from the match. But ultimately how could you give this match anything other than 10/10?"
[9.0] "(Grade:A/*****) A definite masterclass of technical wrestling! Very impressed to see the top stars of the technical/submission base style trying to one up another and pull of some neat escapes or counters along with beating the hell out of one another! Really enjoyed each one of them targeting a body part i.e. ZSJ targeting Danielson's right arm and Danielson attacking ZSJ leg which that dragon screw ZSJ took looked disgusting!"
[10.0] "This is a masterclass of technical wrestling and a throwback to the Japanese shoot-style promotions of the 80s and 90s. Danielson and ZSJ are both experts at finding creative ways to hurt each other. The mat reversals were executed so well, and I loved Jon Moxley on commentary."
[9.0] "Probably one of the best technical matches in wrestling history. It was submission attempt after submission attempt, and I'd loved very second of it. I just wished we had more pinfall attempts, but either way, this was a great match."
"Just wow. I finally watched this match after hearing many great things about it and it was even better than expected. These two put on a clinic in the ring and kept you engaged the entire match. Just a perfect display of technical wrestling."
[9.0] "The dream match between the two best technical wrestlers on the planet was of course never going to answer the whos better question, but my god they put on a hell of a show. Some great mat and limb work, submissions and counters throughout, the exact kind of grappling I adore. Great psychology as always from Danielson and ZSJ, but the storytelling was surprisingly good for a dream match, with Danielson becoming increasingly more frustrated with ZSJ and resorting to strikes. Great finish, and leaves the door open for a rematch. Loved."
[10.0] "[5 Stars] A masterclass, a wrestling lesson, Wow just Wow! I prefer their 2nd confrontation but this one is so necessary and lays the foundations for a classic while being a classic itself, it's just perfect! (*****)"
[6.0] "Extremely meh. For as much as i appreciate Danielson in many ways i am finding myself less than moved by his overall backlog. Not a wrestler i find myself enjoying 9 times out of 10 it seems and that very much makes him the subject of overrated discussions. ZSJ was also present i guess"
[10.0] "An absolute masterpiece between two of the all time best technical wrestlers in the world, complete technical wizardry, their psychology between each other is just phenomenal and the crowd was just hot throughout."
[8.0] "Kinda everything I hoped and thought this would be, but it missed a moment of true astonishment or emotional catharsis that really takes wrestling matches to that final tier for me. That being said, it's pretty damn exceptional. The use of the balance between technical work and more physical/hard-hitting wrestling to build the tension and advance the narrative is particularly impressive, with Danielson pushing the match into a more brutal (and strike-incorporating) bout genuinely heightening the weight behind their phenomenal technical work. Both of these guys put on very deliberate performances as well, something that was very very interesting (for better and worse) to watch during the more technical sequences, while the moments of more reactive/impulsive wrestling (e.g. that little slap box moment on the ground) provide oddly important respite from the genuine tension that builds around their submission work. Real good match, and the distinct advantage BD takes via the hard-hitting turn is a great choice both for the narrative of this match and in terms of setting up future meetings."
[10.0] "*****. Such a unique match that lived up to the advertising as a technical masterpiece. There are few other wrestlers who would be able to even attempt a match like this, so getting half an hour from Sabre and Danielson was a special treat."
[9.0] "This was so incredibly close to getting the 10/10 for me, but it JUST missed it for whatever reason. That said, this was very, very, very, very good and I'd definitely call it the best match on the show. These two delivered on exactly what everyone was hoping for, and that's a technical wrestling classic. I also really liked that Danielson had to win using the Busaiku Knee as opposed to a submission, as it opens the door for a rematch down the line."
[10.0] "I'm lost of words to describe this match... what can I say? The epitome of professional wrestling, everything was executed with perfection, it's all about the details, even the tiny ones. I feel that 10, 20 or 30 times are not enough to fully comprehend this match, maybe I get a new detail every single time I watch this again. The beginning is just pure and technical wrestling, moves that I never saw in my entire life, every part of the body being explored, a lot of grappling and submissions. This is truly legendary and will go down as the best technical match of all time. I can't even compare this to other wrestling matches, it was just so much different, felt like a completely different sport. No kickouts, nearfalls, jumps, spots and weapons, no drama and emotion, just pure professional wrestling, with the highest technique available. Masterpiece - {****3/4}"
[10.0] "Holy hell! What a technical bout! This is truly a showcase of how to masterfully combine pro wrestling and storytelling. To use a fancy term normally out of my vocabulary, this might be one of Danielson's magna opera. (Yes I had to search it up before writing it.) Truly a highlight of his career in terms of matches."
[10.0] "This match is a technical masterclass, and it's not even their best match together! Honestly, Bryan and Zack are two of the best in the world and they're showing exactly why in this match"
"This match besides its sequel felt like a breath of fresh air. Personally, this was my first time seeing a full Zack Sabre Jr match and I've never felt so ashamed of that fact after seeing this. The stylistic matchup of the two best technical wrestlers in pro wrestling was really sold throughout the entirety of this matchup. The limb targeting and the pure grappling on the mat enthralled me throughout the entire duration. This match should be applauded for the unique feeling it brought and the smoothness of both Danielson and Zack."
[8.0] "This was exactly what to expect out of these two. A technical masterclass that showed Zack could hang with Danielson. Zack is a cocky little shit here. They made ever big transition spot mean something and you could feel the air in the arena change whenever a wrestler would go down with a potential injury. All these moments were enhanced by the sublime selling from both men. I didn't enjoy this as much as when I first watched it, but I appreciate that they didn't go too long and they left plenty of stuff on the table to come back to in a rematch."
[10.0] "This was such a technical wrestling match. Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr are the two best technical wrestlers. Lots of counter wrestling and submissions. This was excellent from two brilliant minds making art in the ring."
[10.0] "One of the best matches of 2023, just brilliant technical wrestling from two of the best today. ZSJ attacks Danielsons arm throughout the match which is a great bit of storytelling, but Danielson still pulls out a win, however it was not via submission so there is no telling who the best technical wrestler alive is."
[9.0] "I love technical wrestling. I adore grappling. I cherish counters. I loved it. Bonus points for Moxley on the commentary, he was rough around the edges, but thats exactly his deal and persona. As for the in ring stuff again everything I hoped for, nothing more, but absolutely nothing less."
[7.0] "Here we come to the match that makes every self-respecting wrestling expert crazy. Well, what can I say, it was an ordinary fight. I'll say right away that I don't like Zack Saber's style and I wasn't expecting this dream match. Well, for me, the match is divided into two stages. The first is a classic boring fight that Saber shows every time. The other half is already a good fight where the wrestlers remembered that simply hugging in the ring is not enough and started to show a good show. But overall I would rate the fight a 7/10. Objectively, there were good things in it, but it's definitely not a fight that should be in history."
[10.0] "This might become my favorite match of all time in due time. It is barely 6 months old, but i absolutely love going back to rewatch it. It's my newest comfort match, something to watch that just satisfies me in every single thing i love about pro wrestling. The story of Bryan's arm, Zack being an amazing annoying heel, those tense moments where little movements or things happen, and the crowd reacts huge are my favorite. Moxley on commentary is so perfect, that man needs to do that when he retires. He just never stops and it makes me so happy hearing him. Between the best technical wrestling you can get today, the excellent storytelling, the hot crowd, Moxley making me smile or laugh every few minutes, this is just the best."
[10.0] "This is what I mean when I say "real graps'. Two guy putting on a clinic in front of a very Danielson heavy crowd. It's a match made in heaven and the two delivered"
[9.0] "A technical masterpiece, it was billed as a dream match between the two and it delivered in spades, they went crazy with reversals, little disappointing it ended in a pinfall followed by a knee strike but thats probably to leave the room open for a rematch since neither of them tapped out. Great match throughout. 5 stars. A MOTY contender in a show full of great matches."
[6.0] "In two minds on this, it's wrestled very much as it's built - a dream match. Submissions aplenty with a ton of counters and a lot of them are pretty good, mostly in the opening 5-10 minutes. Bryan's arm gets targeted, Zack's leg gets targeted and neither limb is sold particularly well? It's a bit hit and miss and they do it much better in the NJPW match. The super quick counters of rear naked chokes and stuff does look pretty meh too, no real sense of expertise with each attempt at a hold if the counter comes immediately. Feels like it should've been a battle to avoid holds instead of being put in them and finding a fancy escape. Bryan's elbows and stomps should feel like kill blows too when they look as vicious as they do but it's just a means of transitioning into the next thing. The seated kneebar slap exchange is done better here than the NJPW match though, they aren't sitting there for 1 full minute staring at each other before doing anything. Bryan needing the knee to win makes sense, there's a lot done right here but they should've gone full nerd shit and done nothing but grappling the whole time."
[9.0] "Absolutely loved every exchange and move but I can't help but feel Sabre should have absolutely won just based on how much he tore into Danielson. He damaged the injured arm immensely and spent a hell of a lot of time creatively punishing it. I don't think the few kicks Danielson finally settled it with were enough to make it look like a sealed deal. Absolutely insane watch though That mere gripe did not take away from fun it was to watch and how immersive it was up to that point. It really made me think about the impact of each move so the ending felt really contrary to all that led up to it."
[10.0] "this is as perfect as a technical match can be, both danielson and sabre jr. put on an absolute clinic and left myself feeling that warm fuzzy feeling in my heart seeing the art of my favorite sport being perfected."
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